In the context of the Tiantao Formation in the N reservoir of the Nanbu Depression, this study explores an innovative strategy of differentiated gas drive lifting and synergistic reservoir construction in layered sandstone reservoirs. The reservoir has good tectonic integrity and stable regional cover properties, which provide favorable conditions for the construction of underground gas reservoirs. In view of the fact that there is no mature experience in the field of oil and gas reservoir conversion and the complexity of oil and gas water distribution and seepage mechanism after the reservoir has undergone water drive, this study innovatively puts forward the “differentiated gas-drive lifting and recovery coordinated construction strategy”, systematically explores and verifies the differentiated gas-drive lifting and recovery coordinated construction strategy, and systematically explores and verifies the differentiated gas-driven lifting and recovery coordinated construction strategy. This study innovatively puts forward the “differentiated gas drive synergistic reservoir building strategy”, systematically explores and verifies the efficient synergistic effect of gas drive technology in realizing reservoir-type gas storage capacity expansion and extraction, the specific mode is as follows: the gas layer is rapidly injected and extracted by gas drive to restore the reservoir capacity, and then the capacity is gradually increased by boosting the pressure at the later stage, and the oil layer is controlled by unidirectional gas drive at the early stage → high-pressure and interactive surface area fluid drainage and expansion → boosting the pressure to increase the capacity by steps. On the well network design, based on the principle of high efficiency and fast capacity expansion with few wells, the gas layer and oil layer are designed to be differentiated to build reservoirs, horizontal wells + directional wells are combined with the injection and extraction network, the distance between the directional wells is 300 m, the distance between the horizontal wells and the faults is 200 m, and the drainage wells discharge fluids at full-time rate. Numerical simulation and practical application data show that under the differentiated gas-driven lifting and extraction synergistic reservoir construction mode, the reservoir construction benefit can be effectively improved, and capacity expansion and lifting and extraction can be maximized, and since the reservoir was formally constructed in 2022, the practical results have been highlighted, with the liquid discharge increasing the reservoir capacity by 200 million m3, increasing the oil by 1250,000 t, the natural decline decreasing from 21.2 to 16.8%, and the water content increase rate decreasing from 4 to − 7%, which has initially verified that The effectiveness and economic benefits of the new model of differentiated gas drive lifting and extraction coordinated reservoir construction are preliminarily verified. This study not only has a direct guiding significance for the subsequent operation of Nanbao N reservoir, but also provides a scientific basis and strategic reference for the reconstruction of reservoirs in other oil and gas reservoirs under similar geological conditions.